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‘Train Like A Celebrity’

Fifty-three local anonymous local people have been competing in Train Like a Celebrity, a weight-loss program co-sponsored by Sophisticuts Salon and Day Spa and Anytime Fitness in Princeton. The contest’s winner will be revealed an awards night held from 7 to 9 p.m. March 24 at the salon.

PRINCETON — The Kardashian sisters, Rachel Ray, Sara Evans, June and Johnny Cash, Marge and Homer Simpson, Meg Ryan and Jessica Alba are some “celebrities” who have been losing weight through a program co-sponsored by two Princeton businesses.

Train Like A Celebrity is the name of a program sponsored by Sophisticuts Salon and Day Spa and Anytime Fitness in Princeton.

Each person has remained anonymous and chooses a celebrity name that is used to show what percentage of weight they have lost each week during the 12-week program.

Fifty-three people have participated in the program, which began Jan. 1; the last weigh-in is Wednesday. Some have only gone to the salon while others have just went to the gym. Some people have gone into the program and stayed through the entire duration, while others have slowed down after starting fast initially.

“Jessica Alba” is really a Bradford mother who works in Princeton and wanted to lose the weight she gained after giving birth to her son, who is now 18 months old.

“I wanted to lose that weight, and I thought it would be a motivation to me to weigh in each week,” she said. “I like that others don’t know who you are, and my weight loss is posted under the celebrity’s name.”

This mother said she has taken advantage of some of the services offered at Sophisticuts to lose weight such as infrared sauna and discounted weekly spas.

Mary VanKeulen, owner of Sophisticuts Salon and Day Spa, said she wanted to partner with a newer business in town because she has been in business 25 years.

“We decided to team up in way to take care of wellness,” she said. “We wanted some time to relax and take care of your mind, body and spirit.”

Steve Sandholm, owner of Anytime Fitness in Princeton, said the program’s exposure has helped his business with many members participating.

“The competition has been good,” he said. “It gives some a reason to come to the gym, and it is fun. Mary, who is here all the time, talked to me about it, and we thought it would be a fun thing to do.”

Each participant also put in $10 that will go into a pool with the overall winner of the program getting that $530 and a $500 wellness package.

“This is like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” added VanKeulen. “It is a motivation for those who have worked hard to try to get that cash.”

VanKeulen has posted the program’s Top 5 weight loss percentages each week on the salon’s Facebook page. The program’s winner will be announced at an awards night held from 7 to 9 p.m. March 24 at Sophisticuts.

“We will celebrate the winner and find out who else was in the contest if they want to do so,” she added.